Choosing a Policy That Works for your Community

We provide guidance to help you select, draft, and implement a cell phone policy tailored to the unique need of your community .

TYPES OF POLICIES

Schools nationwide are adopting various strategies to manage cell phone and personal device use during the school day.

Some include:

Phone Free Bell-to-Bell

Phones stored in a secure location when students arrive and are not physically accessible to students until the end of the day (e.g. lock boxes, locking pouches)

Off + Away

Phones turned off and stored out of sight for entire day, in student backpacks or lockers, or in designated areas in each classroom (e.g. shoe racks, bins)

Limited Use

Phones allowed during designated times throughout the day, e.g., lunch, passing periods, and placed in backpacks or in designated areas in each classroom during class periods

EXPLORE POLICIES

Each policy comes with its own set of benefits and challenges. It's essential to choose the one that best aligns with your community's needs.

Click here to learn more about policies

 

Description: Phones stored in a secure location when students arrive and are not physically accessible to students until the end of the day (e.g. lock boxes, locking pouches)

Benefits:

  • Centralized and consistent implementation school-wide
  • Eliminates cell phone distraction in class and across the school building
  • Eliminates burden on teachers to enforce
  • Reduces strain on teacher-student relationships
  • Creates optimal environment for the development of in-person social skills

 

Drawbacks + Implementation Challenges:

  • Upfront cost of storage solutions (pouches, lockers)
  • Provides less opportunity for students (particularly at the high school level) to demonstrate autonomy and practice using their phone responsibly during school hours
  • Students unable to use personal cell phones during the school day to communicate with after-school employers or coordinate other after-school logistics

Common Parent Concerns:

  • Difficult to reach their child on their personal cell phone during the school day

  • Concerns related to communication during emergencies

  • Impact of teacher enforcement on teacher-student relationships

  • Distractions during instructional time

 Age Group Considerations:

  • May be used at middle or high school levels with careful implementation. 

Sample Policies:

 

Description: Phones turned off and stored out of sight for entire day, in student backpacks or lockers, or in designated areas in each classroom (e.g. shoe racks, bins)

Benefits:

  • Encourages student accountability

  • Reduces (but does not eliminate) cell phone distractions in class and around the school building

  • Encourages the development of in-person social skills

Drawbacks + Implementation Challenges:

  • Burden on teachers to enforce  

    • Takes time away from teaching and learning

    • Contributes to strained teacher-student relationships 

  • Potential for uneven enforcement 

  • Risk of use during instructional time 

  • Can create a culture of monitoring or “policing” phone-use

Common Parent Concerns:

  • Difficult to reach their child on their personal cell phone during the school day

  • Concerns related to communication during emergencies

  • Impact of teacher enforcement on teacher-student relationships

  • Distractions during instructional time

 Age Group Considerations:

  • May be used at middle or high school levels with careful implementation. 

Sample Policies:

 

Description: Phones allowed during designated times throughout the day, e.g., lunch, passing periods, and placed in backpacks or in designated areas in each classroom during class periods

Benefits:

  • Accommodates individual communication needs, especially for older students who may have after-school responsibilities

  • Fosters autonomy and encourages self-regulation

Drawbacks + Implementation Challenges:

  • Burden on teachers to enforce

    • Takes time away from teaching and learning

    • Contributes to strained teacher-student relationships

  • Can lead to battles convincing students to put their phones away during restricted-use times

  • Risk of use during instructional time

  • Relies on students to self-regulate phone use, which may be an unrealistic expectation

  • During designated periods when phones are permitted (e.g. lunch), students may engage in cyberbullying, video recording, and other non-educational uses

  • Can create a culture of monitoring or “policing” phone-use

  • Less opportunity for in-person social interaction and social skill development

Common Parent Concerns:

  • Distractions during instructional time

  • Impact of teacher enforcement on teacher-student relationships

  • Negative impacts on peer dynamics and overall school culture

  • Cyberbullying during non-class times (e.g. lunch)

  • Distractions during instructional time

  • Impact of teacher enforcement on teacher-student relationships

  • Negative impacts on peer dynamics and overall school culture

    Cyberbullying during non-class times (e.g. lunch)

 Age Group Considerations:

  • Not recommended for elementary or middle school. 

  • May be used at high school level with careful implementation.

Sample Policy:

POLICY CONSIDERATIONS

As schools consider implementing a cell phone policy, it's important to thoughtfully address how it aligns with their community's needs and can be successfully enforced.

  • Align the policy with student’ developmental needs, policy may vary between elementary, middle, and high school students. 
  • Address older students’ communication needs for after-school responsibilities, like contacting employers or coordinating caregiving and transportation. Explore a variety of solutions such as office phone access or temporary cell phone use approved by administration.
  • Ensure communication needs of students with disabilities or health conditions are met as required by their IEP or 504 Plan.
  • Decide who will enforce the policy. If teachers are responsible, consider how this might affect classroom dynamics, teaching, and learning.
  • Engage staff, students, and families to ensure the policy reflects the communities needs and values. 
  • Consider how the policy will differentiate between personal devices and school-issued technology in learning environments. 
  • Discuss how to manage other personal electronic devices, including smartwatches, headphones, personal laptops, iPads, and similar items that may cause distractions.
  • Align the policy with broader community guidelines on topics such as bullying, safety, and privacy.
  • Create a clear process for implementation and managing violations, ensure students, staff and families understand expectations and consequences.